The Vietnam War Flashcards
Vietnams Main Sources
Rice, Rubber, Coal
Strategies of The USA
Strategic Hamlets
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Ranch Hand
Search and Destroy
Mylai Massacre
Cherries
The Media
Anti-War Movements
Vietnam Tactics
External Military support
Guerilla Warfare
Support From Locals
Fighting For Country
Tet Offensive
Ho Chi Mink Trails
President Nixons Vietnamisation
Is the Withdraw from War
By 1968 it was clear the United States was not going to win
1969 Nixon was elected as President
Nixon Doctryn Introduced ( WAM )
Won the hearts and mines of Vietnamese
Signified first implication of withdrawal
Eventually led to Withdrawal of groups from Vietnam
Us Combat soldiers were reduced
Strategic Harmlets ( Villagisation )
USA and SV created villages
Seperates Farmers from VietKong
Prevent VietKong from Influencing farmers
VietKong went unnoticed because they wore normal clothes
Americans killed innocent people
Operation Rolling Thunder
1965_Failed
Widespread bombing ( Cluster Bombs / Nalpam Chemical Bombs )
Reason- Cut off Chi Mink Trails and destroy NV economy
Failed to weaken economy
Could not see what they were bombing due to the thick vegetation
Operation Rand Hand
Use of chemical defoliants
Only destroyed Jungle and let to cancer and birth Defects
Agent Blue
Used to destroy crops
To starve the enemy
Agent Orange
Used to destroy forest
To see the enermy
Search And Destroy
Solders on foot in villages to try find the enermy
Vietnames tactic of Guerilla warfare made it near impossible in thick Vegetation
Americans killed innocent
The Mylai Massacre
USA Soldiers wooed fire on a village, raped the women and killed women and children as well as old people
News of horrific incident spread to the Us and demoralised the United States and Citizens
Strategy was A Failure
Cherries
The USA send inexperienced soldiers called cherrie
Began conscripting young men to fight the war
Failed as they had no cause or will to fight
Media
Was first TV war
Failed as horrible acts of burning down villages etc seen by US citizens
Anti-War Movements
There was a massive anti war movement happening in the USA which was another for USA eventual defeat
External military support
VietKong supported by China and USSR
Received military support to match Americans gun by gun
Went to to village Hamlets and took the weapons that were left by American Soldiers
Guerilla warfare
Hit and Run type Warfare
Nightmare for US soldiers
Booby traps got soldiers wounded, poisoned and let to many deaths
Support from Locals
Locals would give info on whereabouts of US soldiers
Fighting for Country
Vietnamese were fighting for country to be United under Ho Chi Mink
Had history fighting other countries ( Japan , France )
Gave upper hand
Tet Offensive
Major turning point
VietKong launched a series of surprise attacks in over 10 cities in SV on Tet Holiday
Vietnamese suffered many casualties but it was a victory as US public was shocked that VietKong could attack so easily
Evidence was now clear American was loosing the war
NV was fully involved with helping VietKong
Ho Chi Mink Trails
VietKong was supplied with military equipment and soldiers from the North
Supply routes through neighbouring countries, Laos and Cambodia
Some routes were underground
